“I don’t know. Have you seen him before?”
“Hey, who is that? I specifically came for Rosy Secret!”
“Bring Rosy Secret back! Let this guy leave!”
The murmurs from the crowd weren’t loud, yet they reached the stage. Zeke inhaled deeply and began to strum his guitar.
“It’s a chilly day…”
“Blinding sunlight everywhere. Just me, cruising down the street, mind totally blank…” It was a rap song.
“So what? Soaked in sunlight and rain, today’s just fine for me.”
Zeke’s voice, deep and resonant, made every word crisp.
The audience began to move with the rhythm.
“Live it up. Go wild while you’re young…”
With his eyes, he plucked the strings, immersing everyone in the music as they started to dance.
Witnessing the scene, Norah’s smile broadened.
She was sure she had the right person.
At the backstage of Glamour Club,
Glaring at Zeke belting out tunes on stage, Cayle Coleman, from the Rosy Secret band, snapped, “Who’s that guy? Why is he performing alone before us?”
Emerson, lounging on the sofa, replied casually, “Why worry? It’s like he’s taken our spot. I’m not bothered by who he is as long as he’s not in our way.”
The lead vocalist of the Rosy Secret band, a lovely lady named Kris Dominguez, turned to Emerson and asked, “Emerson, is Starbeam calling it quits?”
Cayle, losing patience, snapped, “Kris, you are annoying. How many times must I say it? I’ve mentioned before that Starbeam doesn’t care about us anymore. Haven’t you noticed? She at least had the decency to announce her leaving the band. Otherwise, we’d still be here, waiting for her foolishly. Does she think she’s irreplaceable just because she writes songs? We’re managing just fine on our own!”
Kris started to respond, but then, noticing the other band members’ faces, she quietly looked down.
Starbeam had played a key role in forming the band. Their success owed much to her songwriting.
Following Zeke’s song, the crowd offstage cheered eagerly, shouting, “Encore! One more song!”
Zeke exited the stage to the crowd’s cheers.
Zeke carefully placed the guitar down and turned to Norah, asking, “So, how did I do out there? Did I meet your expectations?”
Norah complimented him. “You’ve got real talent.”
“Did you write that song yourself?” Norah asked, intrigued. It was unlike anything she had heard before.
Looking somewhat downcast, Zeke replied, “I came up with the melody, but the lyrics were a joint effort with my friends.”
Norah’s thoughts drifted back to her days with Rosy Secret. She had been new to songwriting back then. Even though the band members had initially met online, they bonded over crafting tunes and rocking out together. Later, they attempted to share videos of their performances on the internet.
Following a viral video, Rosy Secret skyrocketed to fame. Due to her marriage, she had taken a break from the band, and that was how things had unfolded to this point.
Noticing Norah’s distraction, Zeke asked, “Miss Wilson, now that I’ve performed, could you share what you have in mind for me?” Whatever was asked of him, he was ready to give it his all. Today, he had lived out his dream.
Norah ordered two glasses of wine, sliding one toward him. “Are you familiar with the band performing right now?”
Zeke glanced at the stage and responded, “Yes, Rosy Secret. They’re quite famous. Pretty much everyone knows them.”
Indeed, Rosy Secret had several hit tracks, often featured in short videos, earning them widespread recognition. As Rosy Secret started their performance, the audience’s enthusiasm was unmistakable, with cheers erupting continuously.
“Do you aspire to reach Rosy Secret’s level of fame?” Norah asked.
Without a moment’s delay, Zeke affirmed, “Absolutely. That’s the dream I’m chasing.”
Norah smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll help you become a star. The first step you need is to get your band together.”
“I’ve got a band!” Zeke interjected eagerly. “Just a call, and they’ll all come running back. But how do you plan to make us famous?”
His tone earned more respect than his initial question.
Lifting her gaze confidently, Norah revealed, “Because I am.”
“Starbeam?” Zeke echoed in astonishment. “Starbeam? The songwriter for Rosy Secret?”
Norah nodded and said, “Yes.”
Zeke’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Starbeam was a name any Rosy Secret fan would recognize as the creative force behind their biggest hits. However, Starbeam seemed to vanish, and though Rosy Secret continued to release quality music, people gradually forgot about Starbeam. Zeke, who had a passion for songwriting and composition, greatly admired Starbeam, considering her nothing short of a musical genius. And now, he was face-to-face with his idol.
Inside the chamber, Kaiden remained skeptical, nudging Spencer. “What’s the connection between Norah and that guy? Why did she arrange for him to have a spot on stage?”
“Kaiden, listen to Miss Wilson,” Spencer replied casually. “If you’re curious, ask your uncle directly. I’m not the one to speculate with.” Spencer, who was dying to enjoy some karaoke, showed his irritation at Kaiden’s question. “Just go directly to the source if you’re looking for answers. But from what I see, your uncle probably has a thing for Miss Wilson. I doubt that guy is anything significant to her.”
After downing a generous sip of wine, Spencer urged, “Enough of this, I’m here to sing.”
“Let’s do it together,” Norah suggested.
“I’m not in the mood for singing,” Kaiden declined.
“You’re Starbeam? You were part of Rosy Secret? Why do you want to make another band famous?” Zeke couldn’t hide his astonishment.
Norah sneered. “Should I continue with those who turned their backs on me?”
Zeke sensed there was a hidden story between Starbeam and Rosy Secret but figured Norah wouldn’t spill the beans. After thinking it over, he said, “I trust you now. Can I have your contact? I’ll reach out once I’ve got my band together.”
“Of course.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.